Philippine Travel Notes

I stepped up to the lobby of the Aboitiz Foundation Building, hoping for a better vantage to snap a pic of the full backside of Casa Gorordo (House/Museum). Got it! But this “act” unfolding by my feet caught my attention. I thought that was some dramatic scene… touching to watch… How often do you see adults publicly showing their ‘physical’ concern for each other anyway, right? Common to see adults wiping dirt from a child’s face. But not this one… Immediately clicked my camera to snap this photo – yeah, for the memory. For a time, they were unperturbed and were just too busy at what they were doing. Until the one in red realized I was looking and listening. What happened?! The lanzones lady (in shorts and white tee, yes she is very much a woman) had just finished rubbing (whatever the act is called) “tina” – hair dye, on the few short locks that adorn her head! How and where? At that very spot, by herself, and without a mirror! Therefore bapor, she smeared some towards the ears,...

This topic started with this article Where are you going? Let’s proceed… Bato Oh stone, why must so many places exult you with their names?! Hahaha, first there are the three towns of Bato that we featured in our same-names series, right? Then there is a town called Batuan which is different from the two other towns named Cabatuan that we also featured over at the same-names articles. Stony really rocks! Bauan That’s pronounced ‘ba’ as in ‘buh’ and ‘wan’ as in ‘one’ in the way you should say “The One”. There is only one town in this country that has that name. But add in a letter “g” at the end of the word and it becomes the name of another town. Pronunciation is still the same – you just end that syllable with a closed nasal path instead of your tongue sticking to your upper palate! Hmm, now am getting too technical hehe! Trivia: do you know which one of these two towns is in La Union and which one is in Batangas?! Bayog, Bayugan Both are in Mindanao all right. Nevertheless...